Door closer construction



Jan. 15, 1963 e. P. PATRIQUIN DOOR CLOSER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 7,1960 ATTORNEY United States Patent I 3,072,954 DOOR CLOSER CONSTRUCTIONGeorge P'. Patriquin, Gardener, Mass., assiguor to Indep'en'de'nt LockCompany, Fitchburg, Mass., at corporation of Massachusetts Filed Sept.7, 1960, Ser. No. 54,447

6 Claims. (Cl. 16-66) This invention relates to a door closer assembly,and more particularly to a door closer assembly comprising anaircylinder adapted to be mounted to a door and having reciprocablymounted therein a piston adapted to be operatively connected to a doorframe. Upon opening of the door, a coil spring is biased between thepiston and the'cylinder, and when the door is released the expandingcoil spring, acting through the piston and frame, causes the door toclose. The closing movement of the door is dampened by providing arestricted bleed passage in the cylinder for limiting the speed withwhich air trapped by the piston in the cylinder during the opening ofthe door may be exhausted from the cylinder.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to an improved-doorcloser and dampener assembly which may be economically produced, and toa novel method of as-, sembling the same. 1

This invention'furtherrelates to an assembly of the type describedhaving a hold open attachment which'functions to' maintain the door in'partly open condition against the action of the closing spring, the saidhold open attachment co -acting with thecloser structure in a novelmanner'to eliminate faults encountered when similar hold openattachments are used with closer units heretofore known.

- Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a doorcloser and dampener assembly of the type previously described.

II i a further object of this invention to provide a simple butefficient assembly of the type described which maybe manufacturedinexpensively.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel, low costdoor closer having highly economical methods of assembling the latter.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a novel closer ofthe type described, with a hold open attachmentof known type whichfunctions, when combined with the'closer, to eliminate serious problemsencountered when similar hold open expedients were used with closersheretofore known.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein orbe hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawing, forming a part here: of, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an assembly in accordance with theinvention as applied to a door and door frame;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

5 FIGURE 3 is an exploded pre-assembly view of elements of the pistonhead assembly of the door closer.

. In accordance with the invention, an air cylinder is provided at onecylinder head end 11 with a bleed assembly 12. The end 11 of thecylinder 10 is pivotally secured at 13 to a bracket 14, adapted to bemounted to the door D (see FIGURE 1). A piston rod 15, reciprocablymounted within the cylinder 10, is provided at its outer end 16 with abracket 17, adapted to be mounted to a door The head assembly 20 is ofmulti-part construction and,

includes a'rearward piston core member 21, and a forward retainerwashermember 22. The piston core mem-' ber 21, which is preferably formed ofmolded plastic, in-

cludes an axial cylindrical aperture 23 adapted to be slid" overcylindrical portion 18 of the piston rod 15..

The core 21 includes a rearward cylindrical flange 24. having an outerdiameter corresponding closely to the.

inner diameter of the cylinder 10. The core 21 includes a forwardlydirected, reduced cylindrical portion 25, the

forward face of the flange 24 defining a forwardly directed shoulder 26.

The core 21 includes a longitudinal aperture 30 extending from the rearof said core, part way through the core, said aperture being joined by alarger aperture 31 extending rearwardly from the forward face of thesaid core.

A forwardly directed shoulder 32 is formed at the junction of the saidtwo apertures 30, 31. A recess or aperture 35 extends rearwardly fromthe front face of the core, partially but not entirely through the saidcore 21.

Retainer washer 22 is provided with a central boringis seated over theforward cylindrical portion 25 of the core 21, the base 41 of saidgasket in said seated position lying against the shoulder 26 of the'core 21, the branches 42, 43 of said gasket being forwardly directedwhen the gasket is seated on the core' as above indicated.

A ball 46 is inserted in aperture 31, after which a coil spring 47 isinserted in said aperturebehind the ball 46. Assembly of the piston headis completed by sleeving the washer 22 over the cylindrical portion 18of the pis-' ton rod 15 in position whereby projection .37 enters recess35, in which position aperture 38 of the washer will regis-' ter withaperture 31 of the bore.

With the parts thus positioned, the end'48 of the pistonrod 15 may beswaged or otherwise formed outwardly against the outer face 49 of thewasher 22, thus imprisoning the ball 46 and spring-47 in aperture 31,and securing the gasket 40 against removal in a forward direction fromsylindrical portion 25 of core 21.

An end closure cap 50 is provided by a novel assembly consisting ofannular washer 51 of rigid metal con forming closely to the bore of thecylinder 10 and having a central aperture 52, within which aperturethere is secured a nylon bushing member 53, serving'the double purposeof providing a self-lubricating piston rod bearing and a yieldable spunmetal edge seal. The bushing 53 is provided with an initiallycylindrical neck portion 54, which portion is passed through aperture 52and substantially flared outwardly to the position shown in dottedlines, FIGURE 2, by striking said portion with a spreading tool, byheating and simultaneously spreading said portion or by employing otherforming methods to which the cap material responds.

Assembly of the dampener is completed by passing the piston head 20 intothe cylinder 10 through the open end 59 of said cylinder, said open endat this stage of assent-- bly being in the dot and dash position shownin FIGURE' 2, and. the turned edges 59a being shielded from view. whenforced against the periphery 59b of the cap 50.

Coil spring 60 is next sleeved over the piston rod 15 into positionagainst the piston head 20, after which the end closure cap 50. issimilarly sleeved over the rod 15 and againstvthespring60. The spring 60is maintained under, compressive tension by forcingthe'end cap 5010 aover the washer 'S'Iiasa cylindrical. outlining form as" well as .areinforcement, said latter operation being most conveniently-carried.out by spinning, raw edges being shielded from view by the cap, aspreviously described.

The cylinder may be made of aluminum or a light metal suitable forimpact casting to the form shown, and

similarly'suitable for spinning over the end reinforce ment in the formof the washer 51, as previously indicated.

I It will be recognized that the end cap closure assembly constructionherein provided makes possible and permits the use of a plastic bushing,with its inherent low friction coeflicient advantages, and at the; sametime permits the spinning operation without reducing the diameter of theplastic bushing, by utilizing the rigidifying influences of the metallicwasher member 51 as the support and rein forcement for spinning.

-Similarly, the piston head provides a highly eflicient air seal, aswellas a ball checkvalve member at a minimum'of cost. Moreover, thedisclosed piston head assembly assures tight seal between the" gasket 40and the walls of the cylinder 10. on the forward reciprocal or'compression stroke of the piston since, on such forward stroke, theouterjbranch 42 of the U-shaped annular gasket 40 tends to expand or bepushed against the said inner walls by the pressure developed betweenthe piston head and the bleed end of the cylinder.

.The novel structure and methods of assembly herein disclosed will tendgreatly to reduce the cost of producing an eflicient door closure anddampenerassembly since, unlike assemblies heretofore known, the end capclosure is maintained in position wtihout resort to such expensiveexpedients as complemental threading between the cap and cylinder. i

Upon opening the door, the piston is shifted toward the end cap 50, airbeing permitted to enter end 11 of the cylinder through the passage 30,around ball 46 and out passage. 31. The ball, in the course of theopening movement of the door, is dislodged from engagement with shoulder32 against the pressure of spring 47. By providing an air passagethrough the piston head effective on the opening stroke of the door, theinward flexing of branch 42 of gasket 40 is avoided. It will berecognized that without such passage, the gasket would be flexedinwardly when the door is opened to permit air to pass between thegasketand the inner wall of the bore, which inward flexion may result inultimate reduction in air trapping efficiency on the return stroke ofthe piston.

When the opened door is released, the ball 46 is seated againstshoulder. 32, preventing air passage through piston head 20. Thepressure in the end ll of the cylinder tends to force the branch 42 intoclose engagement with the inner bore of the cylinder, to assure maximumdampening .on the return stroke of the piston. 1

. The gradual e'sc'ape'of airthrough adjustablebleed means 12'slows theclosing movement of the door. The bleed means 12 is fully'described-inUS. Patent No. 2,940,111 and functions as the piston head 20 shiftstoward: the end-11 of the cylinder during the closing of the'doon to'permit 'thegradual escape therethrough of air entrapped between thepiston head 20 and the end 11. While the bleed means 12 includesa-spring seated ball interposed in the bleed passage, it will beunderstood that any known door closer bleed means may be employed, theinvention herein not being restricted for use with or relating to anyparticular form of bleed.

1 As previously noted, the. :closure cap 50 is seated against turnedends59a of'thezcylin'der 10 by the action of the closer spring-'60,- andit 'willbe readily recognized that the cap-50. would"be free to move'to:a position within the bore of :the. cylinder but for the aforesaidseating action of the spring, The cap construction thus isdifferentsfrom closerl its heretofore known wherein the cap is eitherformed integrally with, or is non-movably secured to the end of the aircylinder, as by complemental threading or the like.

This distinction is important where the closer is provided with a holdopen assembly whichmay be optionally engaged to maintain the door towhich the closer is ap-. plied in open condition against the closingaction of the' closer spring.

rod with slight clearance.

Such hold open assemblies conventionally take the form of a lug, such asthe lug 70, afiixed to the end cap and having a rounded, rearwardlydirected nose 71. A washer, such as the washer 72, is sleeved over thepiston When it is desired to main tain the door in open or partiallyopen condition, the door is first opened to the desired position and theWasher l is then slid along the piston rod into engagement with the noseof the end cap lug. The door may then be released, and the,closer.springforces'tlie lug eccentrically against the washer, tilting the latter andwedging the same against the rod'to hold the door. l

In conventional closer structures having such hold open units, anadditional closing force applied'to the door when the hold openmechanism is engaged, may result in slippage of the washer, bending ofthe hold washer, dis-- tortion' or unseatlng of the closersupport'brack'ets, or even bending of the piston rod. Such additionalclosing l forces may result from an attempt to close the' door withoutreleasing the washer, from accidental pr'es sure' applied to the door,or even from a strong gust of wind directed'agains't the door.

The conventional hold back unit in combination with the novel closerassembly herein described and illustrated may be used without fear ofdamage occasioned by the" application of a door closing force to theunit when the same is set in hold open position. The improved oper-"ation is due to the ability of the end cap 50 to shiftto a positionwithin the cylinder (as shown in dot and dash lines, FIGURE 2) when suchforce is applied. v i

Thus, while an additional closing force mightdamage a conventionalcloser assembly, the application of such a force to the assembly hereindescribed would merely cause a slight inward movement of the piston andcap 50 as a unit further into the cylinder and no damage to thecomponents could result. This movement would be buffered by the airremaining between the piston head 20 and the bleed end of the cylinder.

' The closer is moved to the door release position in the conventionalmanner by opening thedoor slightly and at the same time sliding thewasher 72 away from the"; cap 50. The door may then be released andwillbe closed by the spring 60, as previously described.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its" use, what isclaimed as new and is desired to'be secured by Letters Patent is: p

-'I. A door closer assembly 'or' the like comprising a cylinder havingbleed valve means at 'one end,- a'centrally' apertured closure member atthe other end and a coilcornpressio'n spring member 'within'saidcylinder having one end bearing against saidclosurdm'ember, apistorr assembly contacting the other end of said spring and urgedthereby toward said end of said cylinder having said bleed meanscomprising a cylindrical piston rod member having its outerend'extending through said closure" member and having a reducedcylindrical portion at its inner end section forming an annular shoulderat the junction of said section and said rod member, a piston c'orehaving an axial boring sleeved over said inner end section of saidpiston rod member with the portions of said core surrounding said boringseated against said shoulder, said core including a cylindrical rearwardportion of a diameter providing a sliding fit with the inner peripheryof said cylinder and a forward cylindrical por-" tion of reduceddiameter with respect to said rearward portion, a longitudinal passagebeing formed through said core, a valve seat formed in saidpassage, aflexible annular gasket member seated on said forward portion of saidcore, said gasket having an inner diameter corresponding to the diameterof said forward portion of said core and an outer diameter correspondingto the inner diameter of said cylinder, 21 ball valve member looselypositioned in said longitudinal passage of said core forwardly of saidvalve seat, and a retainer washer carried by said inner end of saidpiston rod and seated against the inner face of said core, said retainerwasher having an aperture aligned with said passage in said core andbeing of greater diameter than the diameter of said forward portion ofsaid core.

2. A closer assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gasket isU-shaped in cross section and said legs of said U are directed towardsaid bleed end of said cylinder.

3. A door closer assembly or the like comprising a cylinder having bleedvalve means at one end, a centrally apertured closure member at theother end and a coil spring member within said cylinder having one endbearing against said closure member, a piston assembly contacting theother end of said spring and urged thereby toward said end of saidcylinder having said bleed means, comprising a cylindrical piston rodmember having its outer end extending through said closure member andhaving a reduced cylindrical portion at its inner end forming an annularshoulder at the junction of said inner end section and said rod member,a molded plastic piston core having an axial boring sleeved over saidinner end section of said piston rod member, with the portions of saidcore surrounding said boring seated against said shoulder, said coreincluding a cylindrical rearward portion of a diameter providing asliding fit with the inner periphery of said cylinder, and a forwardcylindrical portion of reduced diameter with respect to said rearwardportion, a longitudinal passage being formed through said core, a valveseat formed in said passage, a recess formed in the inner face of saidcore in angularly spaced relation to said passage of said core, aflexible annular gasket member seated on said forward cylindricalportion of said core, said gasket having an outer diameter correspondingto the inner diameter of said cylinder, a ball iii 4. A closer assemblyin accordance with claim 3 wherein said aperture of said washer is ofsmaller diameter than the diameter of the adjacent portion of saidpassage, and a valve spring is interposed in said passage between saidball and said Washer.

5. A door closer and damper assembly comprising a cylinder having bleedmeans at one end, and an end cap at the other end, said end cap beingslidable within the bore of said cylinder, blocking means on said otherend of said cylinder for retaining said cap in said bore, a

piston rod slidably mounted in said cylinder with portions of said rodslidably extending through an aperture of said cap, a piston head on theinner end of said rod, compression spring means interposed between saidcap and said head to bias said cap against said blocking means and saidhead toward said one end of said cylinder, a hold open portion on saidcap, and hold open means slidably mounted on said rod to be shiftableinto engagement with said hold open portion to secure said rod againstrelative movement with respect to said cap.

6. A door closer assembly comprising a cylinder, a piston head slidablymounted in said cylinder, air bleed means in one end of said cylinder,an inturned flange at the other end of said cylinder, an end cap havinga central bushing slidably positioned within said cylinder adjacent saidflange, a piston rod having one end secured to said piston head and theother end extending through said bushing of said cap, compression springmeans biased between said cap and said head, urging said head to alimiting position adjacent said bleed end of said cylinder and forcingsaid cap against said flange, a lug extending rearwardly from said capand positioned eccentrically with respect to the axis of said rod and awasher slidably carried by said rod and shiftable into engagement withsaid lug temporarily to secure said rod against relative movement withrespect to said cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,170,718 Humphries Aug. 22, 1939 2,753,958 Whisler July 10, 19562,860,350 Miller Nov. 18, 1958 2,897,534 Pickerell Aug. 4, 19592,920,338 F-alk Ian. 12, 1960 2,940,111 Patriquin June 14, 1960 FOREIGNPATENTS 563,054 Canada Sept. 9, 1958

5. A DOOR CLOSER AND DAMPER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A CYLINDER HAVING BLEED MEANS AT ONE END, AND AN END CAP AT THE OTHER END, SAID END CAP BEING SLIDABLE WITHIN THE BORE OF SAID CYLINDER, BLOCKING MEANS ON SAID OTHER END OF SAID CYLINDER FOR RETAINING SAID CAP IN SAID BORE, A PISTON ROD SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CYLINDER WITH PORTIONS OF SAID ROD SLIDABLY EXTENDING THROUGH AN APERTURE OF SAID CAP, A PISTON HEAD ON THE INNER END OF SAID ROD, COMPRESSION SPRING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID CAP AND SAID HEAD TO BIAS SAID CAP AGAINST SAID BLOCKING MEANS AND SAID HEAD TOWARD SAID ONE END OF SAID CYLINDER, A HOLD OPEN PORTION ON SAID CAP, AND HOLD OPEN MEANS SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ROD TO BE SHIFTABLE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID HOLD OPEN PORTION TO SECURE SAID ROD AGAINST RELATIVE MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID CAP. 